[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 15 (Tuesday, February 2, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H433-H434]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     NORTH AMERICAN INCLUSION MONTH

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 1014) recognizing and supporting the goals and 
ideals of North American Inclusion Month.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1014

       Whereas one in every five Americans struggles with some 
     sort of disability, be it intellectual, physical or 
     otherwise, and the need for inclusion of individuals with 
     disabilities is a family, community, and national priority;
       Whereas a similar ratio exists in the Jewish community, 
     with over one million Jewish individuals living with a form 
     of disability;
       Whereas individuals with disabilities face significant 
     disadvantages in educational and employment opportunities;
       Whereas 70 percent of individuals with disabilities are 
     unemployed or significantly underemployed;
       Whereas special education and related programming do not 
     address underlying needs for appropriate training to lead to 
     greater independence and employment;
       Whereas Yachad, the National Jewish Council for 
     Disabilities, and its parent organization, the Union of 
     Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, is dedicated to 
     addressing the needs of all individuals with disabilities and 
     including them in the Jewish community;
       Whereas Yachad provides programming for individuals with 
     disabilities and their families to foster inclusion in 
     communal happenings and assists in placing individuals with 
     disabilities in employment; and
       Whereas Yachad and the Union of Orthodox Jewish 
     Congregations of America are cosponsoring North American 
     Inclusion Month in February to increase public awareness of 
     the life circumstances of individuals with disabilities, and 
     the need for increased employment opportunities, better 
     special education and increased inclusion of these 
     individuals on the family, communal, and national levels: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives recognizes and 
     supports the goals and ideals of North American Inclusion 
     Month.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Towns) and the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. McHenry) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.

                              {time}  1430


                             General Leave

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 
5 legislative days in which to revise and to extend their remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the House Committee on Oversight and 
Government Reform, I am pleased to present H. Res. 1014 for 
consideration. This resolution draws public attention to the need for 
inclusion of individuals with disabilities into the greater community.
  I introduced H. Res. 1014 on January 13, 2010, and the measure was 
favorably reported out of the Committee on Oversight and Government 
Reform by unanimous consent on January 27, 2010. I am proud to say that 
the measure has bipartisan support from 59 Members of Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, one in every five Americans has some form of disability. 
They face great difficulty in everyday life and significant 
disadvantages in education and employment. Men and women around the 
country work hard in areas like special education, job training, 
rehabilitation, and other efforts to address the needs of individuals 
with disabilities, and we can all be very proud of their work. But we 
should be sure to remember that individuals with disabilities still 
face a great deal of hardship.
  These are our friends, our neighbors, and our family members and, of 
course, many, many, many times people that we see on a daily basis. 
They are our veterans. We must be sure to do our part to include these 
individuals in all facets of life.
  North American Inclusion Month, recognized during the month of 
February, was first created in 2005, by Yachad, the Hebrew word for 
``together,'' the National Jewish Council for Disabilities, and its 
parent organization, the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of 
America. I would like to thank these groups for all the hard work they 
have done to educate people on this important issue, particularly in my 
district in Brooklyn.
  In closing, I would also like to thank the gentleman from California, 
Congressman Issa, who has worked very closely with me on this issue. 
And, of course, I really appreciate his involvement and his support to 
get us where we are today.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 1014, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McHENRY. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the chairman's very kind and 
appropriate words. And I, too, rise in support of House Resolution 
1014, recognizing and supporting the goals and ideals of North American 
Inclusion Month, being the month of February.

[[Page H434]]

  Approximately 41.2 million Americans have a disability of some kind, 
and many of them are unemployed or underemployed and struggling to live 
on what they make or even to survive. Mildly disabled individuals make 
less each month than those who are not disabled, and the severely 
disabled individuals take home almost $1,000 less than they otherwise 
would.
  And while there are programs in place that provide job training for 
those with special needs, they often do not focus enough on helping 
those individuals become independent or find permanent employment. Many 
do, and there are many programs in our communities across the country, 
but both the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America and 
Yachad, the National Jewish Council for Disabilities, have partnered 
together for 2010 to promote North American Inclusion Month, observed 
each February to bring public attention to the needs of those with 
disabilities.
  These organizations have taken it upon themselves to become leaders 
in promoting the message of Inclusion Month: The need for increased 
employment opportunities, better special education, and greater 
inclusion of disabled individuals at the family, community, and 
national levels.
  It's something we all should support. And I certainly believe that 
this is a bipartisan resolution. I urge my colleagues to support it.
  And with that, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, Martin Luther King said that I cannot be what 
I ought to be until the world is what it should be. And I think that 
this legislation really addresses that issue to say that we have to be 
concerned about others, those who are disabled. And let me again urge 
my colleagues to join me in calling for the great inclusion of 
individuals with disabilities by supporting H. Res. 1014.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Towns) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1014.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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